Multi-valued boundary value problems involving Leray-Lions operators and discontinuous non\-linearities (Q1878651)

The authors prove the existence of a minimal (maximal) solution of \[ \text{div}[a(x,\nabla u(x))]+(u(x))+\beta (u(x))\ni g(u(x),\quad x\in\Omega,\qquad u| _{\partial\Omega}\equiv 0, \] assuming the existence of upper and lower solutions. Here, \(\Omega\) is a bounded domain in \(\mathbb{R}^n\) with smooth boundary, the principal part induces an operator satisfying Leray-Lions conditions, \(\beta\) is a maximal monotone graph, and g is nondecreasing and left (right) continuous. This extends a result of \textit{S. Carl} [Appl. Anal., 43, No. 1--2, 21--45 (1992; Zbl 0713.35032)]. The proof relies on monotone operator theory and lower and upper solution techniques.